Wire-stretcher



Patented Mayl 31, 18,87.

v (No Model.)

' vW. B. WEST.

WIRE STRETGHER.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

IVILLIAM BOLIVAR WEST, OF NEW HARTFORD, MISSOURI.

WIRE-STRETCHER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 364,152, dated May 31, 1887.'

Application tiled March 16, 1887.

` a citizen of the United States, `and a resident of New Hartford, in the county of Pike and State 'of Missouri, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements .in Vire-Stretchers, and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had tothe accompanying drawings,which forma part ofthis specification, and in which- Figure 1 is a perspective View representing my improved Wire-stretcher as used in drawing a wire up to a post, full and dotted lines showing, respectively, the two extreme positions of the operating-lever; and Fig. 2is a side view of the stretcher as used in drawing two ends of a wire together, parts of the device being shown in section.

Like letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the figures. l

My invention has relation to wi restretchers; and it consists in the improved construction and combination of parts constituting my machine, as will be hereinafter fully set forth.

Referring to the accompanying drawings lby letters, A represents the main rod upon which the stretching mechanism operates. Said mechanism consists of a sliding bar, B, to the forward end of which, upon the bolt O, is pivoted the shank of. the rear biting-ring, D, and to said bar, near its back end, is rigidly secured the simple ring E by its shank. Upon the side of said bar, between the two said rings, is fulcrumed the operating-lever F, to the upper end of which is -pivotally connected one end of the link G,whose other end is similarly connected to the shank of the advanced bit-ingring H. l

About the pivot of the biting-ring D is coiled a spring, I, one end of which bears against said ring and the other is free to be supported or not in the hook J, formed at the lower end of the shank of the simple rigid ring. A similar spring, K, is coiled about the pivot of the advanced biting-ring, and has one end bearing against said ring, while the other is formed into a hook, by which said'end can be confined or not to the link G.

Upon the back end of the sliding bar is Serial No. 231,112. (No model.)

formed -a lip, L,which coactswth an ordinary handle-lever, M, with a serrated camhead to forma wire-clamp. The forward end .of the main rod is formed into ahook forconnecting to said rod by means of the link N the posthook O. Upon the free end of said post-hook isformed a wire-clamp, l?, which is the same in construction as the one upon the sliding bar.

The advanced biting-rin gis constructed with sharp edges'on its interior at Q, and R, so that as the shank is pulled to the rear these edges tend to bitel into the bar and prevent said ring from sliding back; but they do not hinder it from being pushed forward. The rear biting-ring is constructed in' the same manner as the advanced one and operates the same y against an oblique backward pull upon its shank, and also in readily moving forward.

In operating lthe stretcher the free ends of the springs I and K are loosened from'their fastenings, and the stretching mechanism placed near the back end of the rod` Then the free enfds of the springs are secured, thereby causing their other ends to bear forcibly against the rings, and thus place said rings in an oblique position upon the `rod, ready for biting. Then, when the post-hoop has been put around the post, or the end of a wire fastened into the clamp thereon, and the end lof the other wire secured in the clamp upon the back end of the sliding bar, the lower endof the operating-lever is pulled back, which forces the advanced. biting-ring forward while the sliding bar stands still. (See full lines, Fig. l.) The next'stcp is to pull said lever forward, in which operation the advanced biting-ring remains stationary and the sliding bar moves forward with the attached wire. lines,.Fig. l.) By repeating these movements of the lever the sliding bar approaches the post or the wire secured to the post-hook, and when thewire is sufficiently stretched or tightcned it may be secured to the post, or the free ends of the wires twisted together.

When the stretcher is `used to bring two wires together, or to take up the slack in thel (See dotted sliding bar, a simple ring rigidly connected thereto near its back end and adapted to slide upon said rod, a biting-ring pivoted by its shank to the forward end of the sliding bar, a lever fulerumed to said bar, a biting-ring linked to said lever, a wire-clamp upon the sliding bar, and a post-hook secured to the main rod, as shown and described.

2. In a wire-stretcher, the combination of the main rod provided with means for securing it to a. post or other object, a sliding bar provided'vrith means for connecting it to a wire, a ring rigidly connected by its shank to said bar, a biting-ring pivotally connected to the same bar, a spring coiled about the rivet of said ring and bearing by one end against the ring, and the other adapted to rest iu a hook on the shank of the rigid ring, a lever fulerumed to the sliding bar intermediate between said rings, a biting-ring upon the rod in advance of the other biting-ring and pvoted by its shank to a link connected to said lever,

and a spring coiled about the pivot of saidv WILLIAM BOLIVAR W'EST.

Witnesses:

CHAMP CLARK, W. C. THOMPSON. 

